What is "ShelterBox"?

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In 2007, Dr John Havens introduced our club to this new idea for disaster relief called ShelterBox.

Simply put, Dr John explained, all the essentials to provide shelter are packed in a box, much like a RubberMaid tote. When disaster strikes, the ShelterBoxes are quickly and fairly easily delivered to where the need may be. The idea had come from a former member of the British Navy, now ex-Rotarian Tom Henderson, and quickly adopted by Rotary Club of Helston-Lizard, Cornwall UK.

The Asian tsunami of 2004 propelled the charity on to the world stage, when it sent up to 25,000 boxes, costing about £500 each, to the region after being inundated by donations. Mr Henderson's efforts also saw him awarded an OBE in 2010. In 2012, Rotary International officially adopted ShelterBox as international project partners in disaster relief.

Our club was quickly impressed and our first fully-sponsored ShelterBox was deployed in July 2007 to Karachi, Pakistan to aid victims of Cyclone Yemyin around the Sindh and Balochistan provinces. Since then, Quesnel has been a very generous supporter of ShelterBox, contributing to the deployment of 40 Boxes from 2007 to 2015.

After 2015, donations to ShelterBox have contributed to a general donation fund. This helps the organization prepare for future disasters by positioning aid in warehouses placed strategically around the world, meaning it can react quickly when disasters do take place.

Our Club has achieved Bronze Hero status by donating $1,200 in May 2017, September 2019, September 2021, October 2022, and June 2024; when we reach our current "Happy Bucks" goal of $1,200, we will have donated $1,200 in six of the past 11 years.

Read more below this picture...

The image below shows ShelterBox disaster relief options as of Oct2016

2017 and beyond

As of April 2017, ShelterBox no longer offers specific ShelterBox Sponsorship. Rather, it has the ShelterBox aid fund which includes funding for its ShelterBoxes $1,200, ShelterKits $150, SchoolBoxes $1,200 and their general aid items.

ShelterBox has grown and diversified to better meet the needs of disaster relief beneficiaries – while the ShelterBox remains at the heart of what it does, it has also added some new aid items. The ShelterKit contains heavy duty tarps and tools for families to repair their homes, and it can also provide lumber and iron roofing sheets for families to build a locally appropriate shelter. Any items from the ShelterBox can be provided with ShelterKits, as well. It has also added SchoolBoxes, which are a classroom in a box for 50 students. In addition to all this, it has 4 new types of tents, and have improved some of the items in the box.

Having more shelter options ensures ShelterBox provides exactly what beneficiaries need, as soon as they need it.

- June 2017, our Club donated $1,200 which translated into a ShelterBox to a family in Cameroon fleeing conflict;

- September 2019, our donation provided a Shelter Kit (tarps, tools and building materials) and supporting aid items to a family in Ethiopia fleeing conflict and drought;, for which we were recognized as a Bronze Hero;

- August 2021, we donated another $1,200, raised entirely from members donations.

- October 2022, $1,200

- June 2024, $1,200

- May 2025. $1,200

To learn more about this amazing disaster relief organization, visit their website at https://www.shelterboxcanada.org/